Electric meter



Wl E. PORTER.

ELECTRIC METER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1917.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Fig. I.

0 Irwemtr Willard E. Dort-eri flttlj.

UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD E. PORTER, E LYNN, ivrfissiiCHUsETTs,.AssIeNoR lTo GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY. ACORPORATICN 0E NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC METER.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be itknown'that I, VILLARD E. PORTER,

l a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county 'of'EsseX, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Electric Meters, of'v which y larly, my invention relates to electric motor `meters of the Commutator type, and has for one of its particular objects the provision of an improved brush supporting means.y

Another `object ofthe invention is to pro-V vide` an improved lower bearing orv 'ewel support for electric motor meters. ther objects 'of the invention will be brought out in the courseof Vthe following description.

The novel features of the invention which I believe to be patentable are definitely set forth in the appended claims. The manner of construction, arrangement and modejof operation of these features in an electric meter will be understood from the following;` description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation, with the cover removed, of an electric meter emboeying my present invention; Figs. 2 and 3 detail views illustrating the improved brush supporting means of my present invention g' Fig. 4 is a bottom view of a portion of the `meter showing the resilient support for the lower jewel; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation further showing the support for the lower jewel; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the lower jewel construction; and Fig. 8 is a detail view of the support for the stationary field coils of the meter.

The meter illustrated in the accompanying drawings is direct current motor meterl of the type described and claimed in the copending application for Letters Patent of the United States of Elihu Thomson Ser.

No. 866,043', filed Oct. 10, 1914. The meter configuration carries all of the operativeA elements ofthe meter. The frame 11 and the operative elements mounted thereon are assembled in the casing as a single unit,

`and hence may be removed for inspection j specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 26, 1917.

`supporting plug 23.

Patented July 6,1920.

serial No. 151,060. i

or repair as a single unit. Bolts 12 serve to secure'the frame tothe back casing 10. A bracket 14 projects perpendicularly from the lower part of the frame 11. il pair of permanent damping magnets 15 secured to ashoe 16 are adjustably mounted on the` i bracket 14 by means of bolts17 which extend through a slot in the bracket and threaded holes in the shoe. A non-magnetic member ythe aforementioned application of Elihu Thomson.

. The lower bearing or jewel support for the movable element of the meter is mounted in the `bracket 14:. The construction of the lower bearing will be best understood by reference to Figs. 6 and 7, while its mounting in the bracket la is best indicated in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. The jewel 20 is mounted. in the bottom of a metallic cup 21. lThe cup is removably mounted in the upper portion of a chamber 22in a 4 The plug 23 has an enlarged head with milled surface, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The chamber 22 vcontains a lubricating fluid, such, for eX- ample, as oil. The cup 21 is provided with 'slots 24 througlrwhicli the lubricant can flow onto the bearing surface of the jewel 20. A cylindrical cap 25 having a couple of slits 26 covers the top of the jewel support,v The cap is secured in position byV one orA morer indentations on its inner surface, made, for example, by a small punch, which engage in a circular depression 27 of the plug 23 as will be seen by reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The cap 25 has'an lopening in its top through which projects the lower pivot point 28 of the rotatable element. The plug 23 extends through a hole in the bracket 141C and is held firmly against the bracket by an L-shaped lever 30 whose work arm. is urged toward the bracket'by a coil spring 31 mounted on a pin 32 which is securedin the depending sides of the bracket.

The movlng element of the meter is carried by a shaft 35 at whose lower end is secured the pivot point 28. A circular damping disk 36 of aluminum orfotherl electrical;

eonduetiner material having a huh 257 .is seeured to the shalt so as to rotate in the air gaps oi the damping magnets l?. The armature Consists ot a plurality or z-oils 3U mounted on an annular magnetic core 3) secured to the shaft by a spider not shown in the drawings. rlhe coils are Connected to the segments ot a eommutator yIl() Carried near the upper end oi the sha'lt 35.

The upper bearing tor the movaole ulement is 'formed by a stationary pin #ll projecting through a wear plate 42 mounted in an oil chamber t3 at the top oit the sl aft 35, as clearly shown in llig. 2 ot the drawings. The pin /ll is mounted `in an L-shaped bracket 29 seeured to the top o'l the `trame lll. A worm gear lil is Formed near the top ol the shailt and meshes with the [irst gear l5 oit the reduetion ,f earii'ig` lor the meter register. The register is secured to the :traine ill by bolts /l-7. I The meter nas two stationary Vheld coils, oval in shape and mounted on opposite sin 'i olt thel armature. These coils are simila ly sef'ured to a :front plate t8 and a similar rea r plate fill). The liront eoil is shown in dotted lines in Fig'. l ol the drawings. .ltlaeh coil is insulated 'from its plate by a sheet et insulation 5l., and eaeh plate is insulated from the 'lrame hy lmshingg` or washer 52 ot insulating material. The plates AlS and t9 are thus insulatively mounted on bolts Spacing; sleeves and washers 54 properly determine the uisition ot the stationary field Coils with rest the armatin'e, and nuts 35 threaded ends et the holts 53 lirmly hold the ooi their proper positions. A. conductor .3 passing through a bleek of insulating` material 5'? seeured to the 'frame ll eonneets one terminal o one field eoil to a terminal bolt .'13, while one terminal of the other .lield ('oil is similarly connected by a eoiuljuetor to another terminal holt l-S. The other terminals ol the :field Coils are connected together so that the eoils are eleetrif'alhy7 in series. il eireular light load Coil 5f) is mounted at the outer end of an arm (El) adjustably secured to the trame ll 'ey a holt 61.

The improved brush suppori'gingjr means oit my present invention is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 oi? the drawings. The brushes consist oi" a plurality oi: .vires @il Connected., soldered, "for example. at the lower end olE two depending.:` metallic vanos (i'l. rllhe brushes hear on diametrifi'ally opposite segments oit the eommutator in the well 'understood manner. i supports are alike, it will he only necessary to describe one. The vane (Sil is loosely mounted on a pin G5 extending from a cylindrical boss GG at the end oit an elongated metallic supporting' member 67. The pin and the boss 66 are shown in dotted lines Sini'e both hrush in Fig. ol." the drawings. A second eylindrieal boss GS olf slightly greater diameter than the boss (3G adjarent the latte' and terminates in a beveled shoulder 74. A light coil spring` 69 snrroumls the boss (5G and is soldered at one end to the vane (Sil and is soldered at its other end to the boss he s ilviring (5S) serves to meehanieally hold the vane o-lon the pin G5, and since the elongz ted support Gl' and the spring (5G are ol metal the spring' provides an eleetrie eurrent path troni the support to the vane. A flanged sleeve 70 and a washer 7l. are loosely mounted on the boss (5S and are maintained on the boss hy a pin 72 extendingT through the boss and serving' as a stop pin. rl`he supporting' member 57 is mounted in a slot Sil oi' a, metal plate T3 insulatively secured to the lrame ll. The plate 7S is serurely held between the beveled shoulder Til oit the memher G? and the flange ol the sleeve 'T0 by means oi a spring' 75 surroimdiirgr the liess (3S and positioned between this :lange and the washer 7l. lt will thus be evident that the member (37 is very easily inserted in and removed from the slot Si) in the plate 73, and when in the slot is lirmly held. in positior by means et the springv 75. liy turn inr the knurled head o'l' the member (37 the tension ol1A the sprinzgr G9 ean be varied and thus the pressure between the brush and the romnrutator can be adjusted. One ot the plates '.73 eleetrieally eonneeted by a oonduet .ir 76 to a third terminal holt lil, while e. divided eoinluetor 7?' eleetrieally connects the other pl FC- to the fourth termina! holt l2. The ligght load eoil 55.) and a pair ot resistanee spools TS mounted on the Y trame are included series relation in the diled eondurtin 7'?. rThe improved brush si'ipportingg device ol my Apresent invention pif-'wides a very :nlvantao'eons arrangement for conveniently and quickly removing' either brush tor inspeetion or repair. rllhe :nlliustment ot the lrush pressure by turning? the support and thereby varying; the tension ol? the spring); (if) may be very oonveniently done without removing' the brush or altering the operative arranfrement ol any o.. the parts of the brush support.

lWhile l have shown and described the best liorm. olf my invention now known to me, l desire to have it understood that many mmlilieations may be made by those skilled the art without departingT Vin any way ...Jem the spirit et my invention as disclosed herein. l desire.y therefore. to rover in the following elaims all suoli modiiieai tions as (fome within the spirit et my invention.

ll hat l ela'im as new and desire to seeure by Letters Patent oit the United States, is,

l. .ln an elect-rie meter oi the eonnnutator type, in Combination, a metalli@l vane adapted to be secured. to a brush, a metallic brush support, and a metallic spring surrounding said support and serving to mechanically secure said vane to said support and also to provide an electric current lpath from said support to said vane.

2. in an electric meter of the commutator type, in combination, a metallic vane adaptedy to be secured to a brush, a metallic brush support, a metallic spring surrounding said support and serving to mechanically secure said lVane to said support and also to provide ll. In an electric meter of the commutator type, in combination, a brush support having` a portion of reduced section terminating at one end of a shoulder, a flanged sleeve slidably mounted on' said portion of reduced section, a fixed plate having a slot therein through which said support extends with said shoulder on one side of the plate and the flange of said sleeve on the other side thereof, and a spring arranged to firmly clamp said plate between said shoulder and the flange of said sleeve.'k

5. In an electric meter of the commutator type, in combination, a metallic vane adapted to be secured to a brush, a metallic brush support having a portion of reduced section terminating at one end in a shoulder, a metallic spring serving to mechanically secure said vane to said support and also to provide an electric current path from said support to said vane, a flanged sleeve slidably mounted on said portion of reduced section, a fixed plate having 'a slot therein through which said support 4extends with said shoulder on one side of the plate and the flange of said sleeve on the other side thereof, and a spring arranged to firmly clamp said plate between said shoulder and the flange of said sleeve.

v 6. In an electric meter of the commutator type, in combination, a brush support having a shoulder, a member slidably mounted on said support, a fixed plate having a slot therein through which said support extends with said shoulder on one side of the plate and said member on the other. side thereof, and a spring operating to force said member toward said shoulder whereby said support is firmly clamped to said plate.

7. In an electric meter of the commutator type, in combination, a metallic vane adapted to be secured to a brush, a metallic brush support havinga shoulder, a metallic spring serving to mechanically secure said vane to said support and also to provide an electric current path from said support to said vane,

a member slidably mounted on said support, a fixed plate having a slot therein through which said support extends with said shoulder on one side of the plate and said member on the other side thereof, and a spring operating ,to force said member toward said shoulder whereby said support is firmly clamped to said plate.

8. In an electric meter of the commutator type, in combination, a brush support having a portion of reduced section terminating in a shoulder, a iianged sleeve and a washer mounted on said portion of reduced section, a spring tending to `force said sleeve and said washer apart, means limiting the movement of said washer away from said sleeve,

and a fixed plate having a slot therein through which said support extends with said shoulder `on one side of the plate and the flange of said sleeve on the other side thereof. l y

9. In an electric meter of the commutatory type, in combination, a brush support havin'g a portion of reduced section, a pin projecting from said portion of reduced section, a metallic vane loosely mounted on said pin and arranged to carry a brush, and a metallic spring surrounding said portion of reduced, section and serving to mechanically secureV said vane to said support and also to provide ,an electric current path from said support to said vane.

l0. In an electric meter of the commutator type, in combination, a brush support, a pin projecting from said support, a metallic vane loosely mounted on said pin and arranged to carry a brush, and a metallic s Drin(i surroundino` said su ort and servinvr 2D C C to mechanically secure said vane to said support in a definite position and also to providean electric current path from said support to said vane. p

11. In an electric meter of the commutator type, in combination, a brush support having a portion of reduced section terminating in a shoulder, a' pin projecting from said support, a metallic vane loosely mounted on said pin and arranged to carry a brush, a metallic spring serving to mechanically secure said vane to said support and also to provide an electric current path from said support to said vane, a fianged sleeve and a washer loosely mounted on said portion of reducedk section, a spring tending to force said Vsleeve and said washer apart, means limiting the movement of said washer away from said sleeve, and a fixed plate having a slot therein throughwhich saidsupport ex- AwiLLAiuo E. PORTER. 

